Dedworth
1st March 2011, 18:35
A bright note to finish the day on. Some bright spark at the UKBA has finally decided to raid this place which looks like a couple of offices above the shops. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/place?cid=9381121291411235963&q=Castle+College+NE8+3EL&gl=uk&hl=en&dtab=0&sll=54.961867,-1.589621&sspn=0.006295,0.006295&ie=UTF8&ll=54.962067,-1.589393&spn=0,0&t=h&z=21
Senior staff at college arrested on suspicion of immigration offences
Five people were arrested in Gateshead and Newcastle this morning in a series of co-ordinated raids targeting a college suspected of being used for immigration crime.
The arrests follow an extensive investigation carried out by the UK Border Agency North East immigration crime team into Castle College, Park Road, Felling, Gateshead.
The UK Border Agency has now suspended the college's licence to enrol overseas students. Officers from the agency were on site this morning to advise and assist any genuine students arriving for their studies.
Four of those arrested are senior staff at the college, and were held on suspicion of using the college to facilitate immigration offences. The other person arrested was a student at the college who was found to have breached the terms of her visa.
This morning's raids targeted residential addresses in Saltwell Road, Gateshead, and Moorside Court, Newcastle, as well as the college itself. Those arrested on suspicion of facilitating immigration offences are a 37-year-old Pakistani woman, a 41-year-old Pakistani man, a 37-year-old Pakistani man and a 33-year-old Bangladeshi man. All are now being interviewed at police stations in Newcastle. A substantial amount of cash was also seized from a safe at the college.
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2011/march/05-staff-at-college-arrested
Senior staff at college arrested on suspicion of immigration offences
Five people were arrested in Gateshead and Newcastle this morning in a series of co-ordinated raids targeting a college suspected of being used for immigration crime.
The arrests follow an extensive investigation carried out by the UK Border Agency North East immigration crime team into Castle College, Park Road, Felling, Gateshead.
The UK Border Agency has now suspended the college's licence to enrol overseas students. Officers from the agency were on site this morning to advise and assist any genuine students arriving for their studies.
Four of those arrested are senior staff at the college, and were held on suspicion of using the college to facilitate immigration offences. The other person arrested was a student at the college who was found to have breached the terms of her visa.
This morning's raids targeted residential addresses in Saltwell Road, Gateshead, and Moorside Court, Newcastle, as well as the college itself. Those arrested on suspicion of facilitating immigration offences are a 37-year-old Pakistani woman, a 41-year-old Pakistani man, a 37-year-old Pakistani man and a 33-year-old Bangladeshi man. All are now being interviewed at police stations in Newcastle. A substantial amount of cash was also seized from a safe at the college.
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2011/march/05-staff-at-college-arrested